This invention relates to aircraft, and more particularly to an emergency landing system for an aircraft, and particularly a helicopter.
Because of the nature and structure of helicopters, a disabled helicopter, and particularly a helicopter having a disabled rotor or rotor blades, is highly susceptible to a crash, disastrous, not only to the helicopter itself, but to the personnel within the helicopter. Because of the absence of fixed wings on the fuselage of a helicopter, the ability of the helicopter to glide to safety is prohibited. Although the descent of a helicopter in which the rotor engine has failed, may result in reverse rotation or "wind-milling" of the blades, nevertheless, such a reverse rotor effect is not sufficient to prevent damaging impact of the helicopter when it reaches the ground.
Some examples of attempts at escape means for helicopters and their personnel are disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,015; Larsen, et al.; Dec. 7, 1965 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,513; Baker, et al.; Nov. 14, 1967 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,037; Stewart; Apr. 9, 1968
In each of the above patents, the escape system involves the ejection of the personnel from the helicopter, or the ejection of an encapsulated portion or pod of the helicopter from the main fuselage and subsequent parachuting of the personnel or encapsulated pod to safety, with the ultimate destruction of the remaining portion of the helicopter fuselage.
Applicant is not aware of any emergency landing system for an aircraft, and particularly for a helicopter, in which the entire helicopter, as well as the personnel, are salvaged when the helicopter is disabled, and particularly when the power to the rotor blades fails.